Railway signaling system



Nov. 4, 1924. 1,514,127

H. W. BROCK RAILWAY SIGNALING SYSTEM Filed Nov. 24, 1925 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR. /7. W Broof ATTORNEY.

Nov. 4} 1924- H. W. BROCK RAILWAY SIGNALING SYSTEM 2 Sheets-Shae t 2 Filed Nov. 24

INVEN'I'OR. ff W Bro c K Cir Patented Nov. 4, 124;.

HENRY W. BROOK, OF DENVER, COLORADO.

RAILWAY SIGNALING SYSTEM.

Application filed November 24, 1923.

T all whom it may concern Be it known that I, HENRY W. BROCK, a citizen of the United States, residing at Denver, in the county of Denver and State of Colorado, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Railway Signaling Systems, of which the following is a speci fication.

My invention relates to railway signaling systems and more particularly to danger signals of the type used to warn engineers of approaching trains of the unsound condition of a railway bridge structure spanning a river, creek, draw or other watercourse.

It is a well established fact that the first action of the water during a flood or washout in a stream or in the normally dry bed thereof, is to erode the upper stratum of the bed thereby weakening the supports of a railway built across the stream. After an occurrence of this kind, the track of the railway bridge may remain in its normal alined and horizontal condition and thus appear perfectly safe to the eye of the driver of an approaching engine until the train passing across the unadequately supported structure causes the bridge to collapse with inevitably disastrous results.

It is the object of my invention to avoid accidents of the above described nature by the provision of a simple though highly effective and dependable signaling system which by visual or audible means, gives warning to engineers of trains approaching a stream or draw from either side, that by a washout of all or part of'the bed thereof, the railway structure built across the'stream has been rendered unsafe and is liable to break under the weight of the engine or its train.

With the above and otherobject-s in view as will fully appear in'thecourse of the following description, my invention comprises a mechanism which is actuated by the removal of part or all of the upper stratum of a creek or river bed, to operate signal devices placed at opposite sides of the water course and at a sufficient distance from the same to permit of an approaching train being broug'ht'to a full stop before it reaches the bridge structure.

The signal devices may operate either mechanically or electrically; they can be equipped with lamps so as to be visible at Serial No. 676,839.

illustrated in the accompanying drawings in which like characters of reference designate corresponding parts throughout the several views and in wh1ch- Figure 1 represents a plan view of a railway structure across a water course, to

which my signaling system is applied;

Figure 2, a partially sectional side elevation of the same;

Figure 3, an enlarged sectional elevation of the element of the system installed in the banks or fills of the watercourse;

Figure 4, an enlarged, cross-section of the bridge structure along the line 4-4, F igure 2;

Figure 5, a similar section taken on the line 5 5, Figure 2;

Figure 6, a sectional elevation of a semaphore adapted for use in the system;

Figure 7, a section along the line 7-7, Figure 6; and

Figure 8, an enlarged fragmentary sectional elevation of the cable which constitutes an element of the signal-actuating mechanism, and the supporting and suspension devices associated therewith.

Referring more specifically to the drawings, the reference character 5 designates the bed of a creek, river, draw or other watercourse, and 6 the fills or embankments at the sides thereof.

The railway bridge 7 which spans the bed, as shown in the drawings, consists of a plurality of piers 8 usually made of cement or cemented stone, trestles 9 erected on the piers, stringers 10 supported on the trestles and rails 12 which are laid upon cross ties 13;

My signaling system as applied to a. bridge of the above described construction, comprises one or more tlexible cables 14 preferably made of wire, which are supported below and in paralleled relation to the structure upon sheaves or pulleys 15.

The cable connects at its ends with signaling devices 16 installed at opposite sides of the watercourse, the construction of which will hereinafter be described, and where the cable or cables pass underground they are encased in tubes or conduits 17.

Suspended from the cable or cables preferably between pairs of its supporting sheaves, are a plurality'of heavyweights 18 normally supported upon the bed of the watercourse in close proximity to the piers or other foundation of the railway bridge.

In the construction shown in the drawings, the weights are slidably disposed in vertical bores 19 of the piers and they are suspended from the cable orcables by means of slender rods or wires 20. To prevent the 'weights from pressing into the river bed should the latter be of soft formation, they may be placed upon seats 21 preferably made of cement, which are insertedthrough the bores of the piers.

In order to prevent the water in the creek or river from entering the bores of the piers, flanged tubes 22 through which the rods orwires 20 of the 'weigl'its are loosely drawn, are fastened upon the piers above nections 27 by means of which the weights 23 are suspended from the cables.

The weights embedded in the embankment areof compact shape in contradistinction to' the weights 1n the piers which are of 1 elongated form.

The cables Hare preferably made in sections connected by turn buckles 28 for their relativeadjustment to regulate the tension of the cables.

The signaling devices 16' hereinbefore referred to must necessarily .be of a character to effectively operate by a slight pull on the cable or cables when one or more of the weights godown by reason ofthe removal of the part of the bed upon which they are normally supported. A construction of this character has' been illustrated in Figures 6 and 7 of the drawings, in which 29zdesig- :nat'es arpedestal which supports a rotary lamp or other signal 30.

The signal is mounted at'the upper end of a shaft 31 passing through the pedestal, and the lower end'of this shaft extends into a subterranean chamber 32 which connects with the conduit 17 ofthe respective cable .l tas shown in Figure 7.

The end of the cable is fastened at the periphery of a winding 'drum 33 on a shaft 'dtrotatably mounted in bearings in the chamber. The shaft is provided with .a

crank 1 fromwhich 11s. suspended; a trigger-member 36 the lower end of which rests normally against a shoulder 37in the bottom of the chamber.

The trigger normally restrains the rotary movement of the signal by engagement with a lever-arin38 at the lower end of the shaft 31,.acoiled spring having been provided to effect said rotary movement when the lever arm is released.

It will be understood that when a number of cables 1% are applied to a bridge structure, they are united into one element which connects with the semaphore, as indicated in Figure 1 in which the different conduits 17 through which the cables pass are by means of branches d0 connected to single conduits 41 connected with the underground chambers of the semaphores.

In the operation of my invetnion, the downward movement of any one of the weights when the portion of the ground upon which it normally rests, is eroded by the action of the-water in case: of a washout, will result ina pull on the respective cable. I p

The lengthwise movement of the cable produces a partial rotation of the'drum of the signaling device to which its end is connected, and the consequent upward manner of the trigger releases the armon the shaft 31 which under the influence of the spring ,7

39 imparts rotary motion to the signal'30 mounted at its upper end.

it will thus be apparent that the slightest I disturbance of the ground upon which the railway structure is supported either' in the watercourse or in the fills or embanlnnents at the sides thereof, will result. in the operation of'the signal devices and that inconsequence, warning is given of the unsafe con dition of the structure even though in ap 'pearance it is in its normal state.

The signaling device shown in' the drawings and hereinabove described, is merely illustrative of one 'of many constructions thatmay be employed in connection with the actuating elements of my inventiom'and I desire it understood that variations'in 'the construction of the signal devices as well as in the arrangement of the weights and cables on the bridge structure, maybe resorted to within the spirit and scope of my invention as defined: in the hereunto appended claims.

What I claim and desire to secure by Lettcrs' Patent is 1. In a railway signaling system, the combination with a railway track, of a support therefor, having'a vertical bore, aweiglit in said bore. resting onground beneath the support, a signaling'device, and means for the operation of said device bydownward movement of the weight.

2. In a railway signaling system, the coin- ,bination with a railway-track, stamp-1 port therefor, having a vertical bore, a weight in said bore resting on ground beneath the support, means closing the upper end of the bore against the inflow of water, a signaling device, and means for the operation of said device by downward movement of the weight.

3. In a railway signaling system, the combination with a railway track, of .a support therefor, having a vertical bore, a signaling device, a movably supported cable for the operation of the device, and a weight in said bore normally resting on ground beneath the support and suspended from the cable.

4. In a railway signaling system, the combination with a railway track, of a support therefor, having a vertical bore, a signaling device, a-movably supported cable for the operation of the device, a flanged tube on the support in alinement with its bore, a weight normally resting on ground beneath the bore, and a connection between the weight and the cable, passing through the tube.

5. In a railway signaling system, the combination with a railway track and means for supporting it on the ground, of a signaling device including a signal movable to a danger-indicating position, a trigger normally restraining the signal, a lengthwise movable cable for the withdrawal of the trigger and a weight normally resting on ground beneath the support, and a connection to eiiect an operative movement of the cable by downward movement of the weight.

6. In a railway signaling system, the combination with a railway track, and means for supporting it over a river bed or the like, of a signaling device, an element supported for longitudinal movement in operative connection with the device, and a movably suspended weight for the actuation of said element, normally resting on the ground beneath said supporting means.

7. In a railway signaling system, the combination with a railway track, and means for supporting it over a river bed or the like, of a signaling device, an element extending across the river bed and supported for longitudinal movement in operative connection with the device, and a movably suspended weight for the actuation of said element normally resting on the ground he neath said supporting means.

8. In a railway signaling system, the combination with a railway track and. means for its support in an elevated position above a ground-surface, of a signaling device, an element supported for longitudinal movement in operative connection with the device, and a movably suspended weight for the actuation of said element, normally resting on the ground beneath said supporting means.

9. In a railway signaling system, the com bination with a railway track and a pier for its support over a river bed or the like, of a signaling device, an element supported for longitudinal movement in operative connection with the device, and a movably suspended weight for the actuation of said element, normally resting on the ground beneath said pier.

In testimony where I have aflixed my signature.

HENRY W. BRO'CK. 

